Victors
by ehluvr3
Summary: Cato/OC Rating might go up, might not. They found each other at the worst possible moment. It was the closest thing to the right time they'd ever get, yet it seemed no matter which way they went, something would always get in the way.
1. Pre-Story

Actually Important Information; Not Just a Random Author's Note

Getting the informational author's notes over with right now. I'll keep the notes in the story to a minimum, so here's some _**important**_ information before you begin.

PLEASE READ IT ALL.

It may seem like the characters' relationships are evolving too quickly in the beginning, but I promise there's a reason for it. It'll all make sense later on when I get to Evie's backstory.

There are some parts, especially in the first few chapters, when characters may seem OOC or that might seem overdramatic. It'll all eventually be understandable. If you don't think it's too dramatic, then yay.

Basically, anything weird in the beginning will be explained later. Message me if there's something you don't get or that seems unnatural and I'll either explain or tell you when it'll become clear.

There are flashbacks in this, but they don't go in order.

The chapters are of varying length. It all depends on if the chapter gets to a place that I think is a good place to stop, so expect some really long chapters and some extremely short ones.

Some chapters *cough*Chapter 7*cough* might have too much explanation for some of you who just want action, but I think it's necessary to understand the ins and outs of my story. I will try to minimize this.

I don't see Cato as being cold, like some people think he is. He can be arrogant and ruthless, but I don't think he's the type of person to be stoic/emotionless. I'm not saying he goes around being friendly to people or anything, but I'm also not saying he doesn't show emotions that aren't anger. We can see, both in the book and in the movie, that he laughs (even if it's because he's hunting people) and he has a human side. So I won't make him have two settings: sadistic and angry. He's more complex than that.

One thing I've noticed is that a common theme with other HG fics is that the victors who were Reaped for the Quell were also the mentors. Just because it's easier, I'm going with it, but I just wanted to mention: At the very least, the Career Districts (1, 2, and 4) would've had _some_ different mentors since they had so many victors. As it just so happens, going with the Reaped victors also being the mentors works out in my favor, but I have an idea for how to make it more plausible.

Disclaimer: I only own Evie and random minor characters that aren't in the books or movie(s). Basically, if you recognize it, I probably don't own it.


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

The knife was soaring through the air. Time seemed to slow and I counted the revolutions after quickly calculating how many there would be before the impact. I wanted to shut my eyes, but I couldn't look away.

I cried out and fell to my knees as the knife hit it's target.

I heard a canon. I saw darkness.


	3. One: The Reaping

**Chapter 1: The Reaping**

Step. Step. Step. Turn.

Step. Step. Step. Turn.

The door opened and I stopped pacing.

"Finnick!" I cried out, leaping forward to embrace my old friend.

"Evie!" he exclaimed, mirroring my happiness in his voice and on his handsome face. I let go of Finnick and the atmosphere became tense. It was the day of the Reaping. In just a few hours we would be on a train, taking at least one child to his or her death, possibly bringing the other to join our miserable lifestyle. "Have you been waiting long?"

I remembered why I had been pacing. It wasn't just because of the Reaping, although it _did_ always make me feel sick. I must've had a guilty look on my face because the man in front of me grew a concerned look on his face. His arms came up, allowing his hands to rest on my shoulders.

"What's wrong, Evie?" I saw a hint of panic in his worried eyes. "Did something happen with-"

"No," I cut him off, "Annie's fine." Forgetting my predicament for a moment, I held back a smirk. This man was completely and utterly in love with my sister. It's just a shame what the Games did to her. He sighed in relief, though it wouldn't have been noticeable to someone who didn't know him as well as I did.

"Well then what is it?"

"It's really not a big deal. I just feel a bit guilty asking this. I mean, it's only my second year as a mentor after all..." I knew I was stalling. And there wasn't a good reason for it other than embarrassment. Or maybe it was the thought of abandoning a pair of innocent kids for my own selfish reasons. Finnick just waited patiently, giving me a pointed look. He could probably tell I was making something out of nothing. I sighed. "I don't think I can mentor this year."

Between his blank stare and my refusal to meet his gaze, the silence quickly became awkward. Then he chuckled. I scowled, knowing he was making it awkward on purpose, being the immature pest he is, but I was also thankful. I could always count on Finnick to break the tension.

"Alright," he stopped chuckling, but there was mirth in his eyes and a smile pulling at his lips. "Pray tell," he mocked, "Why can't you mentor this year?" I mumbled my answer, now just nervous because I had made the entire situation more dramatic than it needed to be. He would surely laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

"What was that?" The teasing tone in his voice only grew as a light blush formed on my cheeks.

"I'm..." I trailed off, trying to find the right words. "...emotionally invested." I could feel myself getting flustered and my face becoming more flushed. He didn't even try to resist the grin, as this was a first for me, so instead of staying to face the humiliation of having to answer his questions (which I'm sure were on the tip of his tongue), I turned on my heels and left. I heard him let out the laugh he had been holding back, then quick steps as he caught up to me.

"Evie, why don't we just work together on both tributes this year?" he suggested, good-naturedly as we walked through the Justice Building towards where the Reaping stage would be placed. "I'm sure I can pick up the slack just this once." I smiled and nodded, knowing I could count on him to make sure everything went smoothly. But my smile turned into another scowl as he added, "But you'll have to be my assistant during the Games to make up for it. I've already thought of a few things I'll need you to do!" With a big smirk on his face, he quickly went to open the doors just a few extra steps ahead. I couldn't do anything to him once we were out in front of the cameras and he knew it. With one last glare, I continued through the doors, plastering my Capitol persona onto my face.

It was time for the Reaping.


	4. Two: Tributes

**Chapter 2: Tributes**

Silently, I slipped through the door into our dining car. The train had left District 4 an hour ago and we were scheduled to arrive early the next morning. I took this chance to get a good look at the tributes when they were alone. On a sofa off to the side, the boy was lying down, seemingly asleep, but I knew better. He was confident, true to his status as a Career. He had volunteered before a name was even picked, stepping forward with an arrogant smirk on his face. Turning to look at the dining table, I saw the girl. Her back was turned to me, but I could see that her shoulders were tense and she couldn't stop bouncing her knee up and down, a nervous (or sometimes restless, it was hard to tell without seeing her face) habit I was familiar with. Her name was Reaped, and although no one volunteered for her, she didn't look fearful. She didn't look smug either. I had a feeling she would last longer than the boy, but I hadn't seen either of their skills yet, so I couldn't judge.

The door on the opposite side of the car slid open and in walked Astoria, our District's escort. Taking her entrance as my cue, I stepped forward to join the small group.

"Oh, Evelyn. Good, you're here," Astoria chirped. The boy lifted his arm from where it had rested on his face, covering his eyes, and the girl turned in her seat to watch me come farther into the room. "Evelyn, these are your tributes, as I'm sure you know: Arden Dobbs and Tamsin Atwater." I waved my hand once in greeting.

"I'm Evelyn Cresta, one of the mentors this year. I'm sure you already know who your other mentor is. Finnick should be here-"

"Now!" Finnick said, interrupting my introduction as he walking in through the door behind me. "Finnick Odair," he introduced himself with a small wave. "Now, let's eat first, then we can go over what's going to happen when we get to the Capitol." He bounded over to the table and started eating.

"I completely agree," Astoria said. She had been smitten with Finnick, like all other Capitol women had been, since the moment she saw him. Thankfully, that's as far as it went with her. She had a boyfriend back in the Capitol, and although it didn't stop her from admiring Finnick's undeniably good looks, she had never had any urge to act on these superficial feelings. Still, there were moments when she allowed herself to act like his many other admirers. "Business _after_ lunch. That's what I always say. That way, our relaxation time isn't tainted by the more serious topics." Having putting in her two cents, Astoria made her way to the table with a grace that only Capitol citizens (and any tributes who went for that angle) cared enough about to consider.

Tamsin was already at the table, and I was just getting settled in my seat, when I heard a scoff. Apparently, I wasn't the only one to hear it, as we all turned our heads to see Arden standing and heading over, the arrogant smirk seeming to be a permanent fixture on his face.

"Got something to say, Arden?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. Overconfidence annoyed me to no end.

"I won't need a mentor. You guys can waste your time on Tamsin. She'll need all the help she can get." The smirk on his face only grew as he spoke. "Then again, I don't think she'll even make it through the bloodbath." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tamsin clenching her fists, but she didn't say anything. Finnick sighed beside me.

"Alright. I guess this is as good a time as any to get this speech over with," he said. This happened every year. Being from a Career district, at least one District 4 tribute was always confident that they'd win. According to Finnick and Mags, it was almost always both tributes.

"I'll give you the short version," I said, glancing at Finnick for approval. He nodded, picking up on how much this boy was annoying me. "You're overconfident. You probably don't have any survival skills. You might survive the bloodbath, but if something unexpected happens, and something unexpected _will_ happen, you probably won't be able to adjust. If you don't listen to our advice, you'll probably die before the final 4 or 5. Did I get everything?" I directed the last part toward Finnick, who nodded with a smirk and leaned back in his chair. I don't know what Arden thought about my little speech—whether he was too proud to admit I was right or too arrogant to believe me—but he simply walked out of the room, back towards the car that held our bedrooms, either to sulk or just to be angry.

"So how _do_ we survive in the arena?" It was the first time Tamsin spoke since I've been here. Her voice was confident, but not arrogant. She could have a chance. It's a shame I couldn't let her win.


	5. Three: Fight and Finnick

**Chapter 3: Fight and Finnick**

There was shouting coming from one of the other cars. I hurried toward the voices, inwardly groaning when I realized it was one of the shared cars. There were three trains, each taking four districts to the Capitol. Each District had their own dining car and their own living quarters, but there were still a few that were shared among the Districts. In general, no one really used them, but that didn't mean no one _could_ use them. When I opened the door and saw what was going on, I almost wanted to just turn around and pretend I hadn't seen anything.

It was Arden. I groaned, aloud this time. We hadn't even been on the train more than three hours and he was already causing trouble. He was sort of fighting with another tribute—I guess it could be classified as wrestling—and he was losing. I was tempted to leave him there and let him learn his lesson. Finnick opened the door behind me, but we shared a look and just stood there, watching. Unfortunately, Brutus and Enobaria came in from the opposite side of the room and decided to speak up, putting a stop to the fight.

"Cato, stop it. Save it for the Games," Brutus commanded. I wouldn't have expected that from him, but he must not've wanted his tribute to have any bruises upon arriving at the Capitol. Personally, I didn't see the problem. My tribute was the one losing, but Brutus wasn't one to think first, act later. Cato and Arden separated, but not without shoving each other, trying to get in one last hit.

"Keep your tribute under control, or next time, we won't stop ours," Enobaria told us with a glare before turning to exit the room. She didn't hear Finnick muttering behind me about that being the better option. I elbowed him discretely before stepping forward to grab Arden by his shirt to shove him back towards our territory (and I say "territory" because let's face it: us Careers can be quite animalistic). Before I get the chance, he pushes me off him and storms away, presumable back to his room. I find myself hoping we can get him to stay in his room indefinitely. I turn toward Cato, who was now next to me because of me having to grab Arden. I give him a nod, in thanks for roughing Arden up a bit. He gave me a nod in return and turned to join Brutus in leaving.

Finnick and I walked back through the door to the District 4 rooms, but as I entered my room, I heard Finnick behind me, following me in. I turned to face him and frowned when I noticed him smirking. It seems smirking is a common theme among Careers, although it's understandable—in most cases.

"What?" I asked, sitting on my bed. He came to join me and put an arm around me. To anyone else, it would've just looked like a friendly gesture. But I knew better. He was trapping me here so I'd have to listen to him and answer his questions. Seeing that he was determined to get whatever it is he wanted out of me, I sighed. "You aren't going to let me go, are you? I suppose I should get comfortable then." His mouth widened into a grin and we moved to lay down. We were laying side by side with my head on his arm and my hand holding his, resting on his chest. Under different circumstances, this would've been romantic—maybe even intimate—but it wasn't for us. We were just two friends (best friends, really) who were comfortable with one another. Besides, he had given his entire heart to my sister and I was falling for-

"Evie..." his teasing tone brought me out of my thoughts. I groaned and buried my face in his arm.

"Finnick, don't draw it out. Just ask your questions so we can be done with this." He chuckled at my expense.

"I don't need to ask questions, Evie. I _know_." The ever-present smirk only grew. I briefly wondered how all of these males' smirks could keep growing without falling off their faces, but quickly dismissed the thought. "You and that boy have something going on." He took my chin and forced me too look at him. I'm sure my face was as red as it could get. He had figured it out, and I had to confess.

"Alright. I'll admit it. I may... like... Cato." There. I said it. It was out in the open and I had nothing to worry about. But Finnick's expression was one of shock. "Finnick? Finnick, what's wrong? You were perfectly happy about this a minute ago. I mean, I know I hadn't shown much interest in anyone before, but it had to happen some time, right? And to be perfectly honest, this isn't as much of a recent thing as you probably think."

"Cato?! The boy from Two?!" Finnick exclaimed, stopping me from adding to my rant. I sat up and looked at him.

"Yes, Cato. Who did you think?" Finnick sat up and turned me so my entire body faced his.

"I thought- but you- and Arden- Cato- _what_?!" He clearly didn't know what to make of the situation.

"Ew! Arden?! You know me better than that!"

"Well I didn't say I expected it. In fact, I was starting to wonder if Arden was blackmailing you or something. Wait. Is _Cato_ blackmailing you? Evie, what does he have on you?"

"Finnick!" There was silence as we both stared at each other in shock. The situation had gotten out of hand rather quickly. Maybe the stress Arden had already caused us in such a short time was affecting our ability to think rationally. I took a deep breath. "Finnick, clearly there has been a misunderstanding. Looking back on everything that has happened today, I can see how you'd think there was something going on between Arden and me, but I'm telling you right now: no. Now, I know I should've said something earlier, but I'm telling you now, and I'll answer any questions you have." It was confession time, and I saw the cogs turning in Finnick's mind.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I should never have kept this from him. I knew he'd accept any decision I made. There was no need for the secrecy.

"I don't know. At first, Cato and I weren't even friends. We had just met once, and I didn't think it was important. Then later on, I started to develop feelings for him, but I wasn't going to act on them, so I had no reason to mention it. Eventually, it just grew into a huge secret that I was keeping for no good reason." Finnick's face was blank. "Finnick, you're my best friend—my brother, even. I hope my secret doesn't ruin anything between us." I looked away, unable to meet his eyes any longer.

Now, I know this seems dramatic for such a small matter—and it is—but Finnick and I have had a special relationship for a long time, and anyone who knew of our history could understand our current situation. Our entire relationship relies on us sharing everything with each other. This is the only secret I've ever kept from him.

"Evie," he called out softly to me. I couldn't look at him though. I couldn't face him until I knew how he felt about this. "Evie, it's okay." I glanced at his face. "Evie, I'm sorry if you thought I was angry at you. I'm not. I was just surprised, mostly because you kept this from me, but also because he's from District 2." It was when I felt a tear escape my eye that I started to get angry with myself. I'm not normally a cryer. I'm normally stronger than this. I take care of Annie and I deal with the effects of my Games every day. I am, by no means, stoic, nor am I like those victors from Districts 1 and 2, and even some from District 4, who are tough and relish in the "thrill" of their Games. But I'm not weak. I don't hide my emotions, but I don't let them control me. So why was this different?

"Finnick, why am I crying?" My voice sounded dazed. I knew that Finnick would understand. He would understand me even when I was too mentally or emotionally compromised to understand myself.

"Because you had to let the tears out some time, Evie. Just let the tears fall, and when you're done, you can go back to normal, and we can move past this." And as if sensing my distress in this moment of weakness, he added lightly, "I mean, I don't even know why you've made such a big deal about this. It's about time you got laid. Maybe you're being emotional 'cause you're pregnant."

"Finnick!" I squealed, sounding scandalized. I shoved him, but he grabbed me and pulled me with him as he fell off the bed. And just like that, I knew everything would be okay as long as Finnick was by my side.


	6. Four: A Glimpse of Freedom

**Chapter 4: A Glimpse of Freedom**

After dinner, I slipped a paper under my door, allowing part of it to show from the outside. I sat on my bed. And I waited.

*knock knock knock*

The door opened, and I heard two pairs of footsteps coming closer. My back was turned toward the door, but I didn't need to look to see who it was.

"Hey Evie. Long time no see." It was Clove who greeted me first, jumping over me, onto the bed, to sit in front of me. Blinking, I sat up. I glanced at the clock. I must've fallen asleep because the hands on the clock were indicating a time an hour and a half later than I last remembered it being. Remembering my guests, I turned to Clove, giving her a smile. I would've given her a hug, but the Career was never one for sappy affection. I almost frowned, remembering that she was in the Games this year, but I caught myself, forcing myself to forget the Games for the moment.

"Hey Clove!" I turned to the person standing in the middle of the room. The sight of him made me beam in happiness. "Hey Cato!" He only nodded to me in greeting, a light scowl gracing his features, and sat in the chair at my desk. Facing Clove once more, I leaned in a bit and pretended to whisper, "What's wrong with the brute?"

She rolled her eyes. "He's just being sensitive 'cause that guy picked a fight with him." Then she turned to Cato and mocked, "Are you done sulking now? You're here with your girlfriend now, aren't you?" I felt a light blush in my cheeks. "Geez. I'm surrounded by sensitive idiots." Her face looked annoyed, but I could see the twinkle in her eye.

"That guy was asking for it. And she's not my girlfriend," Cato growled. I knew I wasn't his girlfriend, and I knew it was for good reason, but that didn't stop the small pain in my chest when I heard the tone he used with those words. I kept the smile on my face, remembering that I should be content for now. They were both still with me. The Games hadn't started yet.

I scoffed. "Whatever Arden did, just ignore it. He's an idiot." I knew neither of them missed the fact that I completely ignored the second part of Cato's statement, and I was glad we all understood to keep away from the topic.

"Does that mean you won't mind if we kill him first?" Clove asked. I could hear the sadistic tint in her voice, and in the chuckle Cato let out, but I didn't let it bother me. I may not have been with the Careers in my time, but I was still from a Career district. District 4 is the least strict with its Career tributes, but that doesn't mean we don't train our tributes to kill.

"As one of his mentors, I am obliged to say yes, I _will_ mind. As Evie, on the other hand, I say good riddance." I knew it was terrible, putting a large target on my own tribute's back, but my darker side—the side of me that survived the Games—wasn't going to stay silent when it came to Arden. He was just too infuriating. Besides, I had given Finnick fair warning about my being a mentor this year (which was then reinforced when he found out about Cato), and it isn't as if Arden hasn't condemned himself already anyway. With the way he was acting, just on his first day as a tribute (the incident at lunch and his fight with Cato were only two of quite a few instances when he's made everyone want to kill him—and we had only been on the train for a few hours), he was sure to make quick enemies with everyone no matter what I did or didn't say.

"He won't be in with the Careers, that's for sure," Cato scoffed. There was silence for a few moments after that. A comfortable silence. I took the opportunity to take a look at my friends, who I hadn't seen in quite a while. Clove was playing absentmindedly with a knife as she looked around the room, occasionally smirking when she saw something she thought was amusing or when she made eye contact with me. Cato was thinking about something, and judging from his slowly relaxing muscles, whatever he was thinking about was calming him down. He looked the same as when I last saw him a few months ago. I had to refrain from putting my hands in his hair or staring at his muscles. I was sure my eyes were beginning to show lust, so I turned my attention toward the ceiling, leaning back to lie down again. I had to stop looking at Cato like that. It would only make it harder or me in the long run if I allowed myself to pine after him.

I jumped when I felt a sharp tip poke my arm, pulling me from my thoughts. On instinct, I grabbed the arm attacked to the knife and pulled. Clove fell face-first onto the bed and before anyone could blink, I had her own knife to her neck as I straddled her back, holding her down. My eyes were wide and I thought I heard myself growl. "I'm flattered that you feel that way about me," Clove deadpanned. I heard the words, but they didn't immediately register in my mind. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cato tensed, not because he was ready to attack, but because he knew not to move. It would only alarm me in this state, and who knows what I would do then. When I finally _did_ realize what had happened, I jumped off Clove, dropping her knife on the ground and stepping away to stand against the opposite wall.

"Clove, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, my mind still reeling from what had just happened. It only took me a second to calm myself, and Clove sat up, giving Cato a sly look.

"I don't normally go for girls, but it seems your girlfriend just can't resist me. Who am I to reject Evie, after all she'd done for us?" Cato growled, grabbing Clove roughly—though in what would be considered a playful manner for him—and grabbed her throat. I knew he was just pretending, which was confirmed when Clove was able to speak clearly. "What a surprise!" she mocked. "Both halves of the forbidden couple after my heart." Releasing a fake growl, I jumped onto Cato's back, hitting him as if I was trying to save Clove from his wrath. I laughed as Cato released her and she dropped back down onto my bed.

I liked how things were when it was just the three of us. There was a side to each of us that was animalistic, sometimes even sadistic, and it was the side the rest of the world saw. It was the side that participated in the Games. When I had won my Games, that side of me was allowed to lie dormant within me, only peaking out on occasion. For Cato and Clove, their time to completely release this side of them would come in a matter of days.

But when the three of us were alone, we could be more like ourselves. Training for—and in my case, winning—the Games affected us, of course. None of us were as carefree as we could've been (though I suppose if it wasn't the Games, something else likely would've deprived us of our childhoods), but in our time together, we didn't need to let the animal take over. There was no one to kill. There was no one to fear us or hate us. We could just be kids, as much as we knew how.

There would never be hearty laughter from Cato. Clove and I would never giggle girlishly. Our games would always be more violent than what other kids played in their free time. We had been shaped by our upbringing, but that wouldn't stop us from banding together while we could.

I was thankful for our friendship. Without it, our lives would've been wildly different. I might've lost my mind to the Games, maybe not in the same way as Annie, but the Games would've had more control over me. Cato and Clove would have given themselves completely to the Games. They'd have nothing to fight for but the pride of their District. They'd never allow themselves to be free for a single moment, not like we were now—not like we were when we were together. I like to think I've helped them, even a little bit. And if I've helped them half as much as they've helped me, then I've done my job well.


	7. Five: Cato

**Chapter 5: Cato**

"I'll leave you two to be alone for a bit," Clove told us after a few hours with a smirk as she stood. The blush was returning to my face, and I threw a pillow at her as she made her way to the door. She caught it and threw it back, hitting me in the face. With that, she left us in my room, but not before telling Cato, "Make it quick, alright? I know you and your girlfriend probably just want to jump each other. I don't believe for a second that you'll be able to stop yourselves despite what happened last time, but we've been gone a long time already. Enobaria and Brutus won't check on us, but we were lucky no one came to see Evie."

There was silence again as Cato and I just looked at each other. I didn't know what he was thinking, but he was staring intensely. Upon noticing this, I had to hold back the other side of me. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately depending on how you view it, it seemed that Cato's animal side was fighting back more than mine was because before I knew what was happening his lips were on mine and my hands was running through his hair like they had wanted to a while ago. His hands found their way to my waist, under my shirt, and I fell back onto the bed with him on top of me. I lifted my chin, shutting my eyes tightly and letting out a soft moan as he attacked my neck. Somehow, my legs had ended up around his waist and despite our arms already pulling us as close together as we could get, our bodies still seemed to be trying to bring us even closer. Unfortunately, we wouldn't have had time for _that_ even if we had been at that point in our relationship. We were like that for a while, each of us attacking the other's neck and lips with our mouths.

When we finally released each other, we were both panting. We stared into each other's eyes as he stayed above me, holding himself up with one arm and using the other to rub patterns on the part of my hip where he had placed his hand when he ventured to reach just under the top of my pants. My legs were still around his waist and my arms were still around his neck, with my fingers playing with the hair on the back of his head.

Cato sighed and pulled away to lie down next to me once my legs released his waist from their hold. I laid my head on his chest, with his arm around me and one of his hands in mine, much like my position with Finnick just a few hours earlier. But it was different with Cato. With Finnick, he was a brother just spending time with his sister. With Cato, we were a young couple taking full advantage of one of the few moments we could get alone together.

We didn't say anything for a while. Both of us were lost in our thoughts. I was thinking about how I wished we were in different circumstances. I could only guess what Cato was thinking.

"I'm sorry." It was Cato who broke the silence.

"Don't be." I knew what he was apologizing for. But there was no need. I would take what I could get. If anything, I should've been the one to apologize, and I told him so. Cato's head tilted so he could look down at me on his chest, and I turned my head so I could look into his blue eyes. They reminded me of the sea. We stared at each other for a moment longer before he released me and we both sat up.

"I should go," he told me and stood. I reached for his hand, stopping him. He turned to give me a kiss. It was short, but full of desperation on both ends.

And then he left.

I waited long enough for him to leave District 4 territory before grabbing the vase of flowers on my bedside table and throwing it at the wall. I felt a single tear escape my eye.

"Damn it, Cato. Why do you make me so weak?"


	8. Six: To Be a Victor

**Chapter 6: To Be a Victor**

_The crowd was cheering as I looked out from backstage. I looked out into the colorful crowd, trying to find a familiar face, but before I could, I was being introduced by Caesar Flickerman. He was laughing, trying to get the crowd excited._

"_So, Evelyn," he started, taking my hands in his as if comforting me. Caesar was one of the few Capitol citizens I liked. There's more to him than meets the eye. Sometimes I could see a glint in his eyes, like he knew the truth about it all. He knew the truth about the Games, and instead of acting like an oblivious Capitol citizen, Caesar did small things to show the tributes he was sorry. Whether any other other tributes, both dead and alive, had noticed, I didn't know. What I _did_ know was there was hope._

_But I couldn't hold onto that hope for long. Not without help._

_Caesar subtly squeezed by hand. Startled, I looked wide-eyes at him, then at the audience._

"_I'm sorry what was the question?" He chuckled as if me spacing out was amusing, and the audience joined in. I thought I saw that glint in his eye again, as if he pitied me, but it was gone before I could comprehend it._

"_I asked how you're feeling now that you've won."_

"_Oh," I said with a small laugh. "I'm sorry. I'm just so happy that I've won. I guess it hasn't really hit me yet." He gave another hearty laugh. His hand patted mine, and to anyone else it probably looked like the pat just went along with the laughter. To me, there was comfort in the small gesture. I caught a glimpse of the hope in the distance, but it was gone again before I could even blink._

_After my interview, I was met backstage my Mags and Finnick. I had seen them in the crown halfway through my interview. They must've hurried to meet me here afterwards._

_I rushed forward and embraced them tightly._

"_I thought I'd never see you guys again," I breathed out. I felt Mags return my hug as Finnick kissed my cheek. I wanted to ask them about the pain and guilt. I wanted to know if I would turn into my sister. But I knew the cameras were probably recording our reunion, so I pushed the pain back and gave them a large smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. They understood, obviously, and didn't say anything. Finnick just allowed me to wrap my arms around one of his and we made our way back to the apartment that had been our home for the past 3 weeks._

_On my last day before returning home from the Capitol, I looked around the apartment. A part of me wanted to forget, but another part—the more dominant part— knew I never would. And as I boarded the train later that day, most of the other victors made eye contact with me, willingly me to hear what they had to say. It was then that I understood. This pain in my chest—the guilt that weighed heavily on my shoulders—it was the burden all victors shared. And it would never go away._


	9. Seven: Arrival

**Chapter 7: Arrival**

When we neared the Capitol early in the morning, I was already dressed and ready. I hadn't been able to sleep at all after Cato left. Being as tired as I was and unable to sleep, I could only lie there as the memories invaded my mind. I had stared up at the ceiling and watch scenes from my Games play before my eyes.

I remember smirking at once point at the though of the Hunger Games. Games are supposed to be activities that people partake in for fun to pass the time, or simply to enjoy one another's company. They should be meaningless and carefree. The Hunger Games was anything but. They're definitely not for fun. They are a cruel punishment. And rather than enjoying each others' presence, the tributes have to plot each other's deaths just to survive—not to live, but to survive, because living the life of a victor wasn't really living at all.

The rest of the District 4 group soon joined me and we all ate breakfast together. Arden remained silent and brooded at one end of the table. Astoria chatted pleasantly with Finnick and Tamsin (who soon became comfortable enough to talk with us yesterday as we discussed her public image) and I provided and occasional comment. I felt Finnick give my leg a comforting squeeze under the table and couldn't keep the small smile from tugging at my lips.

We arrived at the Capitol soon after breakfast, and Finnick and I instructed Tamsin to go along with anything her stylist did. We didn't bother with Arden. After his altercation with Cato, he had only become more of a brat, so Finnick and I agreed to leave Arden alone and focus our attention on Tamsin. It sounds terrible, leaving one of our tributes to fend for himself, but it happened. Sometimes mentors thought it would be easier not to get too attached to the tributes that were obviously not going to last long. In Arden's case, it was all his fault anyway for being too arrogant to accept our help. But I was glad Finnick was there to help with Tamsin because if he hadn't been, I don't know if I could've forced myself to honestly help her.

Since all of the tributes would be with their stylists all day, Finnick and I went to join some of the other mentors. All of the mentors were in the courtyard of the tributes' complex. The tributes never come here. They mostly stick to their Districts' floor of the building and the training center. Occasionally some of them find out about the roof.

Finnick and I were the last to arrive. Finnick, the ever social man he is, mingled with pretty much everyone, though after speaking to everyone for a bit, he ended up staying with those who were part of the Rebellion. Yes, a rebellion. District 13 has been active for quite a while, as I learned only about a year and a half ago (during my victory tour, half a year after I became a victor). Apparently, some of the other victors (including me, from the moment I found out, not long after I volunteered to be a mentor last year) are part of it. As victors, we mostly try to gain support from people in our districts, though we have to be careful about who we trust, so it's an extremely slow process. District 13, on the other hand, has spent all their time doing things like gathering supplies or training what (relatively) few troops they have. But we're all willing to wait. Ridding Panem of the Games and ending Snow's rule (more than likely through his death) over the nation is worth it all. It's worth the risk. It's worth the wait. It's worth the sacrifice.

While Finnick went to join the other rebellion members, I went to talk to everyone else. Last year—my first year as mentor—I had decided to befriend those who weren't part of the Rebellion. Finnick and I argued about it, but I won in the end. If I could convince them to join us, we'd have support from all of the Districts. Being the only new mentor in a while, I wasn't associated with any of the other mentors (except Finnick) yet. Mags had been the mentor before me, but I volunteered to take over for her. She had been doing it for so long already, and none the other District 4 Victors really wanted to do it. In Career districts, like ours, the tributes hardly ever need the mentors for anything anyway, except maybe coming up with an angle for their public image. Otherwise, we basically just managed the sponsors' money.

I befriended the mentors from Districts 6, 9 and 10 last year, but for no other reason than because they seemed alone to me. The rebel mentors generally stuck together, though mostly in smaller groups rather than one large group in order to avoid suspicion. When it came time to pick a side, these three Districts were likely to join the rebellion if the surrounding Districts joined as well (and they had).

The only real problems were the other two Career Districts. Unfortunately for me, none of the mentors from the first two Districts were interested in befriending anyone. They could tolerate the rest of us well enough, but they definitely weren't going to go out of their way to talk to us.

Enobaria and Brutus were off to the side with Cashmere and Gloss. They were all having a conversation, but none of them looked as almost-happy as the rebel mentors were when they were together. Our gathering was our time to be with the few friends we had—friends who would understand our pain and who were all in the same situation. This is probably why the four other Career mentors weren't part of the group, despite my subtle efforts last year. Finnick and I were rare exceptions to the rule. The other Careers won their Games for glory and pride. Most of them weren't affected by their kills. Some of them relished in it. The rest learned to get over it rather than appearing weak.

The four of them looked at me as I approached. I knew these people would be harder to get through to than Cato and Clove, but I had to try. Cashmere was the first to speak.

"Hey, Four! I hear one of your tributes is trying to get himself killed before the Games even start." I could tell from her tone that I wasn't supposed to take it well. Too bad for her.

"Pretty much," I shrugged. I saw Enobaria smirk at my nonchalance, and I saw Gloss giving me an amused glance. "Got something to say?" I made sure to sound rude. They wouldn't respond well if I was soft. I had to let just a bit of the animal show if I wanted to gain their respect. Gloss chuckled.

"You don't seem to care much for your tribute. Aren't you one of those ones who forms bonds with your tributes?" He said "forms bonds" with a disgusted tone. I knew these siblings were some of the bloodthirsty victors, so he was probably ready to vomit at the thought of me crying over a dead kid. Too bad for him too.

"Just wait til you see him. He's so arrogant. Finnick and I have agreed to just leave him to his own devices." I allowed myself to sneer, just a bit, but enough for them to see. It wasn't hard considering I was talking about Arden.

"I say good riddance. That kid was asking for trouble when he confronted Cato," Brutus grumbled.

"Awww, Brutus, you _do_ care!" By that point, I was blatantly mocking him, acting like a flattered teenage girl (or I guess, in eyes of the Capitol, acting like a citizen). He scowled in return.

"I just regret stopping the fight. That boy deserves a beating. Don't mistake my regret for concern," he growled, clearly irritated with me. Before I could retort, I heard Enobaria start laughing. It was a hearty laugh, but she still managed to sound sinister in a way only a Career could sound.

"You're alright, kid. A bit of a young and innocent goody-goody, but you've got spunk. I'll give you that." I was shocked, but didn't let it show. It was a compliment. From Enobaria. Who hates everyone. I didn't miss a beat, responding immediately.

"Just hope you're not on my bad side if ever I let the animal out of its cage." I ran a hand through my hair and made sure to remain calm and collected as I turned to leave the small group. Their lack of questioning indicated to me that they knew what I meant, and I forced myself to resist turning around and made my way back into the building without any sign of acknowledgement toward the other mentors, other than the hand I placed on Finnick's shoulder in passing to let him know I was leaving.

Hours later, we were waiting for our tributes to return on their chariots. District 12 had blown the audience's nonexistent minds away. Between their flaming costumes and the girl's sacrifice at the Reaping, they were getting a lot of extra attention. But it wasn't something I was focused on. Instead, my eyes watched the door, and when it opened, they locked onto the second chariot. The two tributes' ever-present smirks graced their features and their eyes caught mine as they passed, stopping near the back, where there was someone there ready to take the horses. For a moment I saw their smirks become small smiles, but the smirks were back before I could blink. I smiled to myself before turning to face my own tributes, who had already left their chariot and were making their way toward me.

I saw Arden glance over my shoulder and his fists clench.

"I'm going back upstairs," he growled, clearly angry. I quickly glanced behind me, seeing Cato giving a smug smirk in our general direction. Of course.

"I'm going back upstairs too. We have training tomorrow, right? I want to get some sleep while I still can." I could tell that Tamsin was talking about more than just tomorrow. She knew she had to enjoy her time before the Games. Once she entered the Arena, she'd have to constantly be on high alert. Finnick came to join me seconds later with a handful of sugar cubes.

"They're supposed to be for the horses, but I got one of the stable hands to give me some. She was quite easily persuaded. Now, where are you tributes?" I rolled my eyes. Of course Finnick would find a way to get his hands on some sweets.

"They both left," I deadpanned. He got a weird look on his face, like he was plotting something, and put an arm around me.

"Come on," he told me, giving me a kiss on the top of my head.

"Where are we-" I stopped myself and glared at him. He had seen Cato watching us, and was now leading me to the District 2 group, making sure his fingers "absentmindedly" played with my hair as we approached.

"Hello Enobaria, Brutus," he gave them each a nod, which they returned with slight glares. I only smiled at them briefly. The District 1 tributes joined us as well, though their mentors were nowhere to be seen. "Finnick Odair," he introduced himself, then gestured toward me, "And this lovely lady is Evelyn." I knew he left off my last name on the off chance someone didn't know who my sister was.

As he introduced me, he made sure to put his arm around my waist and allowed his eyes to pass over the group in front of us. I noticed he smirked when he made eye contact with Cato, but Cato didn't react. At least, not visibly. I thought I saw the corner of his mouth twitch into a frown for a second as his eyes flashed a quick burst of anger.

Before I could do anything to try to solve the issue that no one else seemed to notice, I had to greet the others because the boy from 1 had introduced himself and his partner. Their names were Marvel and Glimmer. I almost rolled my eyes at her name. Marvel's name was fine, but Glimmer's parents went with the typical District 1 idea and named her something that sounded like one of their District's products. Although I guess in District 1, tributes _are_ products.

"Finnick, shouldn't you be heading back now? Arden could be up to something again, and it's your turn to deal with him." I made my voice sound innocent, but gave him a pointed look. With one last smirk, he released me and left, pretending what I said had been the truth.

"Don't be too long, _dear_," he teased, placing a gentle kiss on the side of my head. He couldn't resist that one last effort to rub it in. Turning back to the group, I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry about Finnick. He tries to embarrass me every chance he gets."

"Whatever. I'm leaving. Don't wanna be stuck with a bunch of kids," Brutus huffed quite randomly. He stomped off before anyone could say anything, not that anyone would, and Enobaria left with him without another word to the rest of us.

I saw Cato smirking at something behind me. Taking a quick look around, I saw that he was looking at District 12. More specifically, he was directing his smirk toward the girl. Normally this wouldn't bother me, I knew he was just being arrogant. But after what happened on the train, and after Finnick's silent taunting, I couldn't help but be annoyed with him. It was irrational, I know, but that didn't stop me from saying goodnight to the other three and leaving, acting as if Cato wasn't even there. As I walked away, I almost felt bad—almost—and I heard Clove hit Cato and deal with the other two. I made a mental note to thank Clove later. I knew she'd come up with a good reason for all of us to part ways and go back to our living quarters.

I walked down the hall and entered the elevator, only to see District 12 already in there.

"I'll take the next one," I told them, but the boy shook his head.

"It's fine. Come on. There's plenty of room." I stepped in.

"Hi Haymitch," I greeted their mentor. I noticed he wasn't as drunk as he normally was. He greeted me in return, then turned toward his tributes.

"This is Evelyn, District 4. She won two years ago." The boy's eyes lit up, and I knew he would be smart enough to take this chance to learn something. The girl's eyes, on the other had, just held distrust. She was weary of me, probably since I'm supposed to be helping the enemy. Her distrust wasn't a bad thing, but as no one had even had training yet, it was unnecessary.

"I'm Peeta. How old were you, if you don't mind me asking?" the boy asked. I shook my head.

"It's fine. I was 16 when I won. I didn't do anything special. I just had something to fight for. If you want tactical advice, Haymitch is probably a better bet. He may not look it, but he's quite resourceful." I gave them a smile, hoping to signal to Katniss that I was safe to her (at least for now; I wouldn't make any promises about later). I saw curiosity in her eyes and knew she wouldn't refrain from asking what she wanted, now that I've shown I'm willing to answer. But it seemed she wanted to make sure first.

"Aren't you a Career?" Haymitch started laughing.

"Evie? A Career?! That's rich." With a glare, I silenced him, but I could see the amusement on his face. I turned to Katniss, feeling the need to explain Haymitch's reaction.

"No, I didn't join the Careers during my Games. I didn't even volunteer-" before I could continue, the doors opened. Looking up at the numbers, I saw that we were on the 12th floor. I had forgotten to press the 4. I turned back to Katniss and Peeta, the only two of the group who hadn't already stepped out of the elevator. "If we get a chance later, I'll tell you about it. Or you can just ask Haymitch. I'm sure he'd tell you." They nodded, Katniss with a blank face and Peeta with a friendly smile, and left with the rest of their team. Looking at the buttons on the elevator, I pressed the button above the 12, deciding to just go up to the roof.


	10. Eight: Career

**Chapter 8: Career**

_I had agreed to join the Careers. It was the logical decision at the time. I had to win. I had to get back home to Annie, who had been abandoned by the rest of our family because of her so-called insanity. Finnick and I were the only family she had left, though Mags was always around when we needed her._

_I was supposed to be asleep, but I was wide awake. We were at the Cornucopia, and I didn't trust the other Careers enough to let myself sleep. They had already killed my district partner, pretending it had been accidental in the chaos at the bloodbath. I knew the truth. I saw the girl from one calculating in her mind before she deliberately threw her spear at my partner. But I had already decided not to get attached to anyone during the Games. His death was just one in 23 that would occur this year. I was only glad I didn't have to be the one to kill him._

"_Let's do it tomorrow night. A lot already died in the bloodbath. We can use her to hunt down most of the remaining tributes tomorrow. We'll split up." It was the boy from Two._

"_Yeah. She thinks we're allies, so she'll be sure to come back." This time it was the girl from One._

"_Alright, so we've agreed? After the next hunt?" The girl from Two._

"_Mhmm. We'll kill her tomorrow in her sleep." The leader, the boy from 1, had officially approved the plan. I had never fit in with the Careers, and had only joined them for my own benefit. I had to implement my plan sooner than expected, but it was doable._

_The next morning, the other four staged a discussion with me, pretending to decide to split up just as we were leaving for the hunt. I nodded and headed off in the direction I was assigned. Might as well use my predicament to my advantage._

_After killing my target, I ran to the closest Career. The girl from Two was playing with her prey. Two knives left my hands before I could blink and her body dropped to the ground, her eyes wide with shock. I stepped forward to pull the knife out of her skull and looked ahead. The boy from Ten was dying, but it was a slow death because I wasn't as accurate as I would've liked._

_I walked up to his body and kneeled next to him. His terrified eyes met mine. I grasped his hand, trying to convey my apologies with my eyes._

_I raised the knife._

_The corners of his mouth tilted upward ever-so-slightly as I brought it back down with more force._

_And his breath left him._

_After the boy from Ten, I went after the other Careers. They had each either already killed their targets or were just finishing them off as I reached them._

_And at the end of it all, there was just me and one other tribute: a boy from for me, the boy had proved himself to be quite vicious when the occasion called for it. Unfortunately for _him_, so could I._


	11. Nine: Decide

**Chapter 9: Decide**

Somehow, the roof turned into a sanctuary for many-a-tribute throughout the years. Whether or not they knew about the lack of cameras and the wind's interference with the microphones, most tributes who thought to come up to the roof found themselves coming back again and again.

I sat on the ledge, knowing I was safe from falling to my death, and stared out at the Capitol. It was beautiful and full of life, but it was all a cover-up. The victors knew what most others did not—what most others only suspected. We knew just what kind of monster Snow could be. We saw more than we should've, and Snow punished us for having the very lives he had forced us into.

I heard footsteps behind me, and upon reaching the ledge, Cato sat next to me. This silence seemed to be a common theme lately, much like the smirking. But when I allowed my eyes to peek at the man beside me, no smirk was present.

I waited for him to speak first. He wasn't the one who was good with words (that was normally me), but I wouldn't admit that I acted irrationally. When the silence had gone on for too long, I simply stood and walked away. Cato grabbed me before I reached the door and slammed me into the wall beside it. We stared at each other, his eyes a storm and mine blank. I wouldn't reveal how I felt at the moment. I wanted to see what he was planning to say first.

His lips crashed down onto mine, and I allowed myself to kiss back for the briefest of moments before putting my hands on his chest and pushing him away.

"Cato, stop." He grabbed my wrists and held them to the wall, proceeding to attack my neck with his mouth. Then he stopped and gave me an intense look.

"I think we both know the look I gave to Twelve wasn't what you're acting like it was. You, on the other hand, need to get something straight."

"If this is about Finnick-"

"You're _mine_," he growled. Normally, him acting like this would bring out the animal in me. This time, however, it only made me angry. I pushed him away.

"Oh, so now I'm _yours_?" I snapped at him. "You need to just decide, Cato. One minute you want to be with me, and the next you're pushing me away. I'm not asking you to share your every thought and feeling with me. I'm not asking you to suddenly turn soft. I'm not even asking you to do anything that's not in your nature. All I'm asking is for you to commit—and not even necessarily to me. Just decide. I need to know if I'll be waiting forever for you, just taking what I can get when you decide you like me for the moment, or if you'll just accept that we're in this together. 'Cause if you're not even going to want this, then I'm not going to waste my time waiting for you to decide having me around isn't worth it. If you're just toying with me, then this has got to end _now_."

"And I suppose you'll go back to Odair?!" he growled harshly in my face.

"Stop being so immature," I scoffed. "He was just being like that because he knows there's something going on between us—although I'm not so sure anymore what it is exactly. You and I _both_ know where _I_ stand, but it seems _neither_ of us knows where _you_ stand."

There was silence again, but this time it was an angry silence.

When Cato didn't say anything, I shoved him away and stormed back to the elevator. He didn't follow me.


	12. Ten: Weak

**Chapter 10: Weak**

For the second night in a row, I was unable to sleep. I wondered how one person could affect me so much. Normally, I either didn't let something get to me or I let my animalistic side out. No one had made me feel such a wide range of emotions as Cato did, except maybe my sister, but that was for completely different reasons. For the most part, I tried not to be affected by what other people say or do. I keep my opinions to myself and don't react to certain things because I know how dangerous it is for anyone, and I know how much _more_ dangerous it is for victors. But when it came to Cato, I became someone who cared about someone else's opinion. I wanted him to accept me.

Cato could destroy me and not even know it.

Early in the morning, before the sun had even come up, I heard a knock on my door. I forced myself to get up and open the door. I had expected Finnick or Astoria, but instead I saw an Avox.

"Oh," I blinked a few times in surprise. "Hello." The Avox held her hand out. Looking down, I saw that she was holding an envelope with my name on the front. "Thank you." It almost sounded like a question, but the Avox disregarded my confusion and simply turned to leave.

Still confused, I sat on my bed and opened the envelope.

_30 minutes._

That's all it said, but that's all it needed to say. I took a quick shower and basically just went through my morning routine. 35 minutes from when I got the note, I was on the roof.

Cato was already there.

He moved to grab my hand, but I moved away.

"Why did you call me here, Cato?" Cato wasn't smiling. In fact, he was frowning.

"I love you," he told me. It wasn't the first time.

"I know." There was a pause, so I took this chance to speak. "Cato, you know I love you. Before you and Clove, all I had was my family. And you know how _that_ situation goes. But I mean, look at me now, sharing my _feelings_ and acting _weak_. You affect me like no other, but if I'm the only one invested in this, then it's not enough."

"You think you're the only one?!" he snapped at me. I jumped, startled. He came forward and grabbed my arms. He sounded angry. "I'm supposed to be a Career. I should be focused on winning, but instead, you invade my thoughts. And it _infuriates_ me how much I love you. I was going to let you go—last night, when you told me to decide—but I couldn't do it. You make me as weak as I make you. I want to hate you. I want to say I'd leave you in a heartbeat. But I can't." His lips desperately met mine for a few seconds, then he pulled away. He spoke again, almost whispering this time. "I never should've said what I did all those months ago. Evie, I love you. And I want to be with you, even if it means I live the rest of my life at your mercy." And his lips met mine once more.


	13. Memo

Just FYI to anyone who's stayed with me this far:

I prefer to right in bursts, so I don't post on a schedule. I just right a bunch and then post some of that bunch (not all of it, so if it takes me a while to write more I'll at least have an update to tide you over).

So if you stick with my through all of this, then great! I appreciate it! :D


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